Chapter 35

Hsien Lian ran as quickly as he could to a small school. It wasn't anything big, yet he was happy to see it still standing. He didn't know if there were kids learning there, nor did he know what it was used for. But he was simply happy that it was there. He was happy that Lui Che allowed him to build the school for the kids, knowing that the closest school was three kilometers away. He wouldn't allow children to walk that far.

Hsien Lian knocked lightly on the door. He took a step back, waiting for someone to answer. He might not be there, the young man might have run somewhere else. But based on the little information he had received, Hsien Lian suspected that the school would be the most reasonable. When no one answered, Hsien Lian tried again, knocking on the door.

"If no one is there, why knock?"

Hsien Lian turned around, seeing the young man standing behind him. He didn't have his smirk on anymore, instead a frown. He held a basket in his hand, filled with vibrant food. His mother rested above his dao, at his hip. Hsien Lian looked down at the fruit. "You could have hurt someone. Throwing rocks in people's eyes can make them blind." Hsien Lian said calmly. He didn't want to seem hostile or threatening in any way.

"I can destroy them with a single snap of my fingers. Me throwing dust in their eyes is gracious of me. They should be bowing." The man explained simply. He stepped aside from Hsien Lian, walking up to the school door. He opens it, stepping inside. Hsien Lian quickly followed. "Shouldn't you be running away?" The man asked, glancing up at Hsien Lian, before looking back down. He begins to place the different colored fruit on each desk, being precise about every one of the fruits.

"Why should I be running away? Do I have a reason to be scared of you?" Hsien Lian asked. Though the question was rhetorical, it seemed the ghost took it very seriously. He turned around, having placed the last fruit down, and smirked at Hsien Lian. However, the Heavenly Deity wasn't scared. As his question asked, should he?

"You obviously know about me, as you have come here to see me." The young man started. Well, was he young? And was he a man? He was a ghost, a dead person that somehow got out of the Ghost Realm, somehow made it to the Human Realm. He has been to Heaven, been banned, and is using his time wisely. Not killing mercilessly. "Who are you?" The man questioned, walking up to Hsien Lian, a hand behind his back.

Hsien Lian stood his ground, looking up at the slightly taller man. He didn't answer the question however. Instead, he stayed quiet. The man began to laugh quietly, circling Hsien Lian. His steps were planned, everything he did seemed planned, precise. He didn't do anything without thinking of a way out. Maybe his stalling was his way of thinking, crafting a way out.

"You don't have a name, do you? I remember when I didn't have a name. My name was created by others who were scared of me. Others who created legends of me. And though the legends were true, the name sadly wasn't." He clicked his tongue. Stopping in front of Hsien Lian. "Yao Wang." The man finished, stepping closer to Hsien Lian.

They were only a few centimeters, but still, Hsien Lian didn't stand down. "Yao Wang? Why that name?" Hsien Lian questioned. The host smirked, Hsien Lian could imagine blood dripping down from his red lips. "Yao Wang. God of Healing, medicine. You scolded me because I hurt those people, not because of the fruit. Why?"

Hsien Lian didn't answer for a second, the small school room going silent. Air didn't drift in from the wooded area around them, the entire room still. Hsien Lian gave the other an answer. "I had a feeling you didn't steal it for yourself. You're helping people." Hsien Lian answered. The ghost smiled, humming whilst nodding his head. "You're ok with me stealing for the right reason. That's why I gave you that name." The ghost answered.

"Yao Wang." Hsien Lian whispered, slowly nodding his head. He liked that name. But he wasn't going to stop there. "Can I give you a name?" Yao Wang asked politely. The ghost didn't say anything, turning back to Yao Wang. "I never had a name. I only have rumors." The ghost said. Yao Wang shook his head, disagreeing. "Well, let me make you a name now." The ghost looked hesitant, but he sighed. "Go on."

"XingYing."

The ghost looked at him, knowing the meaning of the name. "XingYing? It's not scary." The ghost whispered. Yao Wang scoffed, shaking his head. "It shouldn't be. You are mysterious and smart. You know more than any god could." Yao Wang complimented. The ghost hummed, smiling. "XingYing. That will be my name." XingYing smiled.

Hsien Lian smiled back.

A click of the door showed that another life was there. XingYing reached to grab Yao Wang's arm, holding him tightly. Soon, warmth flooded through his body when he was touched by the ghost. The door opened, and a young woman walked in through the door, allowing little children to do the same. XingYing began walking towards the board, pulling Yao Wang with him.

"Da Hong."

He pointed to the young woman. "She's a teacher, however she doesn't get paid. She teaches different subjects to poor kids. Volunteering. She's sweet, but barely has enough gold to feed herself." XingYing explains, stepping aside. He quietly watched as the kids cheered, running to their seats to see the different fruits XingYing had gotten for them. He was giving them to poor children.

It seemed the children couldn't see or hear them, they didn't notice XingYing or Yao Wang. "The man! He's back! The magic man is back!" One of the kids cheered. XingYing smiled, turning around. He reaches for a piece of chalk, writing something on the board. Hello. Some of the kids gasp, others run up to see what he was writing. It seemed none were scared of the invisible being writing on the chalkboard. Not even Da Hong.

"Everyone says thank you." Da Hong prompted. A chorus of thank you's came from the kids, some reaching to grab chalk so that they could write other things or draw hearts to show their appreciation. Goodbye, kids. XingYing wrote, before placing the chalk down. The kids frowned, some yelling in disagreement. "Everyone. He needs to leave now." Da Hong smiled, opening the door. XingYing pulled him from the chalkboard, but before he did so, Yao Wang wrote something, before leaving.

Thank you for helping him.